‘Don’t give me side eye’: Trump judge explodes
The prosecution’s star witness in the Donald Trump trial has admitted he stole $90k from Trump on a chaotic day which saw fireworks in court.
World
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Donald Trump’s defence team have struck a huge blow in the prosecution’s hopes of securing a conviction against the former president after the trial’s star witness, who had already confirmed he was a liar, also said he was a thief.
In a dramatic day inside the New York court, Judge Juan Merchan also clashed with a witness who he accused of being rude to him and “staring me down”.
At one point the judge cleared the courtroom of the jury, spectators and the media to insist the witness show more respect.
Michael Cohen, who was a lawyer for Mr Trump, is crucial in persuading the jury that the Republican candidate for president green lit a payment to a porn star to help his election campaign – an offence that could lead to jail time.
Mr Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up the payment of $200,000 ($US130,000) to Mr Cohen to reimburse him for money he paid to Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged extramarital sexual encounter which was in danger of becoming public knowledge in the run up to the 2016 US Presidential election.
Mr Trump, 77, has denied an affair took place and denied the charges.
The defence is trying to destroy Mr Cohen’s credibility with the jury.
Last week on the stand, Mr Cohen, 57, conceded that he had lied in previous separate interrogations, including one where he ended up in jail, but he said he did so in those instances out of a misguided loyalty to Mr Trump.
‘I did steal’
More damaging claims emerged on Monday, local time.
On the stand, Mr Cohen agreed with the defence when it accused him of stealing $90,000 ($US60,000) from the Trump Organisation.
Mr Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche asked Mr Cohen about a reimbursement he had been given in 2017 for cash he had paid to a company that rigged online opinion polls to make Mr Trump look more popular than he actually was.
Mr Cohen testified that he handed the CEO of a company called Red Finch $29,900 ($US20,000) in cash in a paper bag for its services. The company had expected $75,000 ($US50,000) but, Mr Cohen said, Mr Trump didn’t want to pay the company the full amount.
However, Trump Organisation chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg later asked Mr Cohen if he needed $US50,000 transferred to him to cover the Red Finch payment he had made.
Mr Cohen said he didn’t correct Mr Weisselberg on the amount.
“So the $US50,000 that you got back … you only paid the Red Finch owner $20,000, right?” Mr Blanche asked.
“Yes sir,” Mr Cohen said.
Mr Blanche then noted that Mr Cohen actually received $US30,000 over and above the $US50,000 amount to cover taxes that he would have to pay on it as it was framed as income, not a reimbursement.
“You did steal from the Trump Organisation based upon the expected reimbursement from Red Finch.”
“Yes sir,” Mr Cohen replied.
“You didn’t just steal the $30,000, because it was grossed up, it was $60,000,” Mr Blanche asked.
Again, Mr Cohen replied, “Yes sir”.
Mr Cohen also testified his Trump Organisation bonus that year was less than he expected. He confirmed he had not paid back the money to the Trump Organisation.
Cohen’s $6 million Trump gig
It was also revealed in court that Mr Cohen made around $6 million ($US4 million) in 2017, the first year Mr Trump was in the White House, when he served as the president’s personal lawyer.
He accrued the money doing consulting work with companies that wanted advice on the Trump administration.
Mr Cohen agreed he hadn’t “specifically” told the then president about his clients but said Mr Trump has introduced some of the companies to him who would later go on to pay him as a consultant.
Judge: ‘Don’t give me side eye’
At the court, towards the end of the day, a fracas ensued between Judge Juan Merchan and lawyer Robert Costello who once advised Mr Cohen.
Mr Costello fell out with Mr Cohen some time ago and was being used by the defence to push their case that he couldn’t be trusted.
The fireworks began when Mr Costello remarked, “ridiculous,” when the judge upheld an objection from the prosecution.
After Mr Costello then exclaimed “jeez” to another successful objection, the judge stopped proceedings and told the jury to leave the courtroom.
Mr Costello also audibly sighed and was accused of giving the judge side eye.
“I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom,” Judge Merchan told Mr Costello.
“You don’t give me a side eye and you don’t roll your eyes.
“When there’s a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez,’ you don’t say strike it.”
Mr Costello reportedly then glared at the judge.
“Are you staring me down?” the judge said, before clearing the room of spectators and the media while he had further words with the witness and the lawyers.
The defence will have concerns that as much as they had a successful day raising doubts in the jury’s mind about Mr Cohen, Mr Costello’s behaviour on the stand may have harmed their case.
Originally published as ‘Don’t give me side eye’: Trump judge explodes
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